Sweet Boli, with its soft, golden-yellow skin and sweet, melt-in-the-mouth filling, has quietly earned its place in the grand Kerala sadya. It may look delicate, but it carries generations of memory, culture, and movement within its thin folds.
Origin of Sweet Boli / Holige/ Puran Poli
Boli is not originally from Kerala. Its roots trace back to the Konkani-speaking Gowda Saraswatha Brahmin (GSB) community. As they migrated southwards over the centuries, they brought with them their food, language, and customs. Along with those came Puran Poli-a sweet flatbread made with a chana dal and jaggery filling, wrapped in a dough and gently roasted on a tawa. In Karnataka, it’s called Holige. In northern parts of Kerala like Kasaragod and Kannur, the same dish is still known by that name. But as it travelled further south, it softened in texture, brightened in colour, and became what we now call Boli.
In a typical Kerala sadya, Boli is served near the end of the meal, almost always paired with Palpayasam-the silky, slow-cooked rice and milk dessert. This pairing is not random. The slightly chewy sweetness of Boli and the gentle creaminess of Palpayasam create a simple but satisfying combination. Some fold the Boli and dip it into the payasam, while others pour a little over it. Either way, it’s a final touch to the sadya that lingers long after the banana leaf is cleared.
Making Boli is an art. The filling is made with cooked chana dal and jaggery, flavoured lightly with cardamom, and mashed until smooth. The outer layer-made from maida-is kneaded soft and stretchy. Each ball of filling is carefully wrapped in dough and rolled out thin, often using a banana leaf or plastic sheet to prevent sticking. It’s then roasted on a tawa with ghee until lightly golden.
In some homes, especially during festivals like Vishu or Navaratri, Boli is also made as a special prasadam. Its presence brings a quiet sense of celebration, a feeling that something good is being shared.
While the northern versions might be slightly thicker and less sweet, the southern Kerala Boli is paper-thin, sweet, and often has that unmistakable yellow hue from turmeric or food colour-a distinct local touch.
Boli may not shout for attention like payasam or parippu curry in a sadya, but its presence is steady, meaningful. It tells the story of movement, of adaptation, of how a dish can travel across borders and languages, and still find a place on our leaf.
Sweet Boli
Ingredients
Instructions
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Boli or Sweet Boli is much popular dessert which served with Kerala sadya . People love to eat it with Pal Payasam
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First of all, Soak Chana Dal over night, Drain water
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Now lets cook Chana dal with enough water
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Next we grind the cooked dal in to a dough. Without single drop of water
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It’s time to make dough for Boli. For that mix Flour with Turmeric powder and enough water
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It should be little sticky, so more water contents could be added.
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Now add Gingelly oil to the dough. and kneed well. Keep it aside
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Heat pan, Add Dal dough, add Sugar mix well. Add nutmeg powder or Cardamom powder
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Make small lemon sized balls from the Dough
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Take some Flour dough, flat it with hand, Place Dal ball inside the dough, fold it with dough
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Dust the surface, Roll the ball as thin as possible.
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Heat pan, cook Boil with drizzle ghee both sides.